Larissa Oliveira is chosen as Ebony Goddess in 37th annual competition exalting the beauty of black women in Salvador, Bahia

Note from BW of Brazil: Continuing a traditional that we have covered here since 2012, a 22-year old was named the newest ‘Goddess’ of black beauty in a contest one of Bahia’s most important black cultural organizations, Ilê Aiyê. It shouldn’t be necessary to explain why a contest recognizing the beauty of visibly African-descended women is important in the context of Brazil’s Eurocentric standards of beauty, so we will simply allow Larissa Oliveira her moment, or in fact, year in the sun! Congratulations! 

While it may be true that there can only be one winner each year, all of the women who made it to the final round desire recognition! To see all of the candidates, click here. 

Larissa Oliveira is chosen as Ebony Goddess in Ilê Aiyê competition

Candidate of 22 years chosen out of 15 women on Saturday.

37th Night of the Black Beauty was held at the Senzala do Barro Preto.

Courtesy of G1

Among 15 finalists, the candidate Larissa Oliveira, 22, was chosen as the 2016 Ebony Goddess during the 37th night of the Black Beauty, at the Senzala of Barro Preto, in the neighborhood of Liberdade in Salvador, last Saturday (16).

The resident of the Cajazeiras neighborhood is the new muse of the legendary bloco afro Ilê Aiyê for Carnival and throughout the year of 2016. The first to be called on stage was the student Cecília da Silva Santos, 25, who celebrated third place and the prize of R$2,000.

Next up was the executive secretary Daniele Nobre, 30, who took 2nd place and prize of R$3,000. Only then was Larissa Oliveira called on stage to receive from Vovô the title of Queen of Ilê 2016 and the prize of R$3,6000.

Night of the Black Beauty

The musicians of the traditional Chegança dos Marujos de Saubara started off the party with the touch of the Recôncavo while still outside of the Senzala do Barro Preto.

Musician Raimundo Sodré, actress/TV host Regina Casé, Roberto Mendes, Carla Visi, Ana Mametto and actor Luiz Miranda participated in the evening on stage, honoring the Samba and Recôncavo culture.

The actor Luis Miranda presented a rereading of the song “Reconvexo”, by world-renown Bahian musician Caetano Veloso, and actress Regina Casé, under the rhythm and beat of Roberto Mendes, sambou (danced the samba) and recited a cordel (1). The Band’Aiyê set the tone in the parade of candidates for the Ebony Goddess. The young duo Lucas and Orelha, nationally known after winning the music reality musical SuperStar, closed the party night in Curuzu.

Source: G1

Note

1. Cordel literature (from the Portuguese term,literatura de cordel, literally “string literature”), is popular and inexpensively printed booklets or pamphlets containing folk novels, poems and songs, which are produced and sold in fairs and by street vendors in Brazil, principally in the Northeast. They are so named because they are hung from strings in order to display them to potential clients. Source